Until the Earth is Free
by TheHedgehogGiraffe
Summary: Honestly, it wasn't at all like how it goes in stories. There was no overwhelming sense of attraction in the moment our eyes met and he swept me into his arms and kissed me. No, I can honestly say the first time I ever saw him was when we passed each other in the street one afternoon. The only thought I had at that time was, My, that's a flashy red coat. Enjolras x OC.
1. First Time Seeing You

Honestly, it wasn't at all like how it goes in stories. There was no overwhelming sense of attraction in the moment our eyes met and he swept me into his arms and kissed me. No, I can honestly say the first time I ever saw him was when we passed each other in the street one afternoon. The only thought I had at that time was, _My, that's a flashy red coat. _Not exactly romantic. I suppose that when you've lived in a mansion all your life, are all set to marry a young baron from a wealthy family, and have everything you've ever wanted, a passing man on the street hardly draws your attention. Yes, that's my life. I am Lauralette Alexandria Babineaux, youngest daughter of a wealthy noble family in Paris, France.

But let us not dwell on my boring life of polite talks with barons and baronesses over tea. Our real story begins one cool morning over breakfast.

"Lauralette my dear, come look at this!" my father said, his commanding voice not pausing or breaking. I got up from my chair and walked down the length of our banquet table to where he sat.

"What is it, father?" I asked, standing beside him submissively.

"It seems that students from a nearby academy are stirring up quite the commotion in Saint Michelle." he said, looking over this morning's telegraph. "Nothing to be worried about, of course."

"Of course not, father." I replied, smiling. As far as I knew, the king was a kind man that made it possible for my family to live such beautiful lives. He was wealthy, powerful, and just, exactly the way my parents had raised me to believe. The thought of anyone starting any sort of revolution was ridiculous to me. And in Saint Michelle, of all places. That area was nothing but stinking slums riddled with beggars and thieves. I had never actually been there, of course, but my mother had told me that it was an absolutely dreadful place. I finished my breakfast and politely excused myself, telling the maids that I was leaving on my morning stroll. For some reason, I found my steps leading me towards Saint Michelle, but I did not turn around. Even as I began to hear the shouts of angry civilians, I simply merged with the crowd, my mind elsewhere. The first thing that startled me out of my daze was the huge elephant statue that stood proudly near the dirt road. The next was the fact that I was surrounded by people dressed in filthy rags who had their hands outstretched. I gasped, horrified that there was a possibility that I could be seen in such a place. I pushed through the crowd, looking for a way out but only managing to get myself hopelessly lost. Ahead I saw a gathering of people that looked at least halfway decent, and decided to go towards them.

"Excuse me." I repeated quietly as I pushed through the mob of stinking bodies. When finally I emerged on the other side, I saw two men standing above the rest, one wearing a familiar red coat. I asked a girl near me, "What is this all about?"

Her brown eyes didn't leave the two men as she answered, "Those two, up there, they're part of the academy in the rich part of town. They're starting a revolution."

I gasped. A revolution! These must be the students that my father was telling me about!

"You don't actually believe that they could succeed, do you?" I asked her incredulously.

"And why can't they? My friend Marius, the brunette up there, told me that they have a very determined leader! And if they do succeed, it will mean equal rights for all of France!" she said excitedly, her eyes finally flickering to me. "Oh," she said, taking in the way I was dressed. "you're a wealthy type. You support the king, don't you?"

"And why shouldn't I support the king? The king makes it possible for my family to live comfortably." I replied defensively.

"Look around you, mademoiselle. There are children and elders who are starving here. Many of these people you see around you will die soon. Yes, I said people. People with families, people with hopes and dreams. Just because you have more money than we does not mean you're anymore a human."the girl accused, taking a step towards me.

"I'm sorry I...I've just been raised to think differently, I suppose." I stammered, backing up.

"Yes well, best not to voice such things here, miss." the girl said, turning back to the stage. I did the same, my gaze focusing on the blonde man that spoke with such passion.

"Where are the leaders of the land? Where is the king who runs this show?" he shouted to the listening crowd. His friend took up the call, shouting, "Only one man, General Lamarque, speaks for the people here below." I had heard of Lamarque, but I had never seen his face. Now I wondered why my father thought highly of him.

"Lamarque is ill and is fading fast, won't last the week out so they say. With all the anger in the land, how long until the judgment day? Before we cut the fat one's down to size?" the blonde yelled, staring out into the crowd with a look of hard determination on his face. In that moment, the strange revolutionary in the red coat looked like a god.

"Apollo..." I whispered under my breath, gazing into his bright blue eyes. I shook my head to wake myself from my sudden trance. Had I really just been staring at someone in public? How unsightly. I turned away from the crowd with every intention of going home, but then everything turned into chaos.

The sound of hooves on cobblestone startled me back into the crowd, which was now shouting obscenities at the National Guardsmen. I was pushed backwards, herded towards an alleyway where the rest of the crowd was gathering. In the chaos, all I could see clearly was the blonde "Apollo" in the red coat. He was yelling "Viva la Patria!" with the rest of the crowd, the godly look back on his face. Suddenly, I was shoved to the ground. The world was a blur as I made my way to the edge of the crowd on all fours. I nestled against a building until the crowd cleared and safety was possible.

"You alright, miss?" I heard a voice and looked up. Standing above me was a blonde boy that appeared about 12 years old. A mischievous smile played on his lips.

"Y-yes, thank you. That got a bit rough." Standing up, I brushed off my skirt.

"It gets like that sometimes. My friends were up there, Marius and Enjolras are their names." the boy told me.

"And what is _your _name?" I asked him.

"Gavroche."

"Why are you telling me all of this, Gavroche? I thought that the people of the slums were all...very well guarded." I asked hesitantly.

"You look like someone that could help us." the boy said simply, beaming at me. I couldn't help but smile back. "What's your name, miss?"

"Lauralette." I answered, thinking it best to stick to a first name basis.

"Come with me, Lauralette!" Gavroche said with sudden excitement, taking my hand. Together we rushed through the slums and into the streets of a cozier part of the city. Gavroche wouldn't tell me where we were going, only that he had friends there. For some reason unknown to me, I trusted the little gamin. So, I let the boy lead me through streets and alleyways until we emerged on a long street inhabited by shops. At the end of the road sat a little two-story cafe with a sign that said, "Musain." Gavroche led me there, but instead of stopping at the door, he escorted my upstairs.

I gasped. The room was full of men that I had seen at the rally earlier that day. More particularly, the blonde in the red coat was seated just feet away from me. I could see the fire in his eyes even from here.

"Gavroche, what...?" I whispered to the guttersnipe that stood next to me. He simply smiled his mischievous smile. No-one in the room seemed to have noticed us yet, which relieved me greatly. "Gavroche, why have you lead me here?" I asked with all the patience I could muster.

"I told you, you look like someone who can help us." he answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We aren't here to talk to the 'em today, though. I just wanted you to see where we 'eld our meetin's."

"Yes it's a lovely place, now may I go please?" I asked. The boy nodded and lead me back down the stairs.

"Um, Gavroche? I don't know how to get home from here." I pointed out.

"Oh right, your one of those fancy types." he said, smirking. "Come on then Lauralette, I'll take you 'ome!"

So I was lead back through the streets of Paris, making idle talk with my guide. In what seemed like no time at all, I was back on my street.

"Meet me at the elephant statue in St. Michelle tomorrow morning, I'll show you some neat things!" Gavroche exclaimed, and then he was gone.

All through the night I wondered what kind of "things" Gavroche wanted to show me. I was not even sure if I wanted to go meet him. I had not had a particularly pleasant time in St. Michelle today, and was-at the very least-reluctant about returning. None the less, I would keep her promise to the gamin, as I was not the kind of girl to be dishonest. As I lay in bed, I found my thoughts drifting to the man in the red coat. What had Gavroche called him? Ah, Enjolras! Yes, that was it. Enjolras, who spoke with such passion and determination. Enjolras, who wore such a coat as to rival his own fire. If I could not believe in his cause, I would put my faith in him, at least. With that final thought, I slipped into a light sleep.


	2. Joining You

**AN: I was amazed to see that the first chapter got 60 views in the first few days I had it up (last I checked)! That's awesome!**

When I awoke in the morning to the sound of rain, I groaned. Not only did I have to go down to the slums today, now I had to go _in the rain! _Reluctantly, I lifted myself from bed and rang for the maids to dress me.

"What would you like to wear today, mademoiselle?" a dark-haired maid asked me.

"Nothing too bold today, Clara. I have errands to attend to." was my reply, and although her expression was curious, the girl said no more. After I had eaten a measly breakfast of bread and fruit, I was on my way.

"Ah, Lauralette!" Gavroche exclaimed when I met him before the elephant. He eyed my parasol warily, but did not comment on it. Instead he simply said, "I'm glad you could make it!"

"Well, you did seem quite intent on me meeting you here. I would not want to let you down." I replied, smiling down at the gamin. He beamed back at me, and I noticed that he always seemed to be smiling. "Why is it that you are always so cheerful, Gavroche?" I asked with sudden curiosity.

"Well it's like this, Lauralette. I know that soon France will be free, and that makes me 'appy." the young boy replied, with what seemed to be a reasoning far beyond his years. It was all I could do to keep the smile on my face, for I still believed that this revolution would not-could not-succeed.

"So what is it that you want to show me, mon petite ami?" I asked. Gavroche just smiled his sly smile, and I knew that this would be a interesting day, to say the least.

"Well, I can't show you anything when you're dressed like _that!_ First we need to get you some clothes that will fly 'ere!" With that, we were off to a clothing store. I was surprised when, instead of going into the shop, Gavroche led me to an alley behind the building.

"Gavroche, what are we doing back here?" I asked, apprehension rising in my chest. The guttersnipe didn't answer, only started to rummage around in one of the huge rubbish bins that lined the building. He fished out a few tattered articles and tossed them at me. I caught them with ease. What he had picked out for me were obviously male clothes, old and tattered, but not grimy or dirty. When thee boy returned to me, he was smiling.

"I'll give you some privacy, then." he said.

"Wait, you aren't actually expecting me to put these on, are you? Gavroche, these are mens clothes!" I exclaimed, looking at my small friend incredulously.

"Trust me, Lauralette. Put them on, they aren't dirty." he said with sudden seriousness and earnest.

"Oh alright, I trust you. Just turn away until I'm done changing, okay?" I said, turning him away from me. Quickly, I undressed and tugged on the clothes. When I finished I was wearing a pair of brown trousers and a loose white shirt, my hair tucked up into a black newsboys cap. On my feet were a pair of laced brown boots.

"I'm done Gavroche." I sighed. The boy turned and his eyes widened, the smile back on his face. Wordlessly, he took my dress and shoes and stowed them away somewhere.

"Shall we, my lady?" he asked, holding an arm out to me. I smiled and took it, allowing myself to be lead back into the slums. On our way, we ran into someone who seemed to know Gavroche.

"Who is this, mon ami?" the newcomer asked, brushing his bangs out of his eyes.

"Ah Courfeyrac, this is Laurel! He's my new friend!" At first I thought I had heard him wrong. _Surely he didn't! _I thought, but when the man named Courfeyrac said, "It's good to meet you, Laurel. Are you one of Gavroche's boys?" I could only gape. _That little trickster!_

"No, he's too old to be one of mine. Laurel takes care of himself, but he likes to visit my boys and I at the elephant." Gavroche said, picking up for me. "We were on our way to the cafe, actually. Are you heading that way too, Courf?"

"Yes, actually." the brunette said, smiling at me. "Would you two boys like to walk with me?" Gavroche nodded and lead me after his friend, unaware of the glare I sent him. If I had known that this was his plan I would never have agreed to come today! However, the damage was done, and there was nothing I could do except follow along. As Courfeyrac lead us to the cafe, he attempted to make small talk with me.

"So Laurel, do you live with your parents?" he asked.

"Yes, but I'm almost never at home." I replied, intentionally lowering my voice to sound more masculine. Courfeyrac seemed to accept it as authentic, only nodding in understanding.

"That's me as well. My parents and I don't exactly see eye to eye about the government, so I usually sleep over with one of the Amis." he told me, and I felt sorry for him. To not be on speaking terms with your own parents...I couldn't imagine.

"It's not that we don't get along, it's just that I've got better things to do than sit at home all day." This-in it's entirety-wasn't exactly a lie. I was rarely at home, constantly running errands so that the maids could stay home. They had too much to do already.

After that, we walked in a comfortable silence. Gavroche eventually let go of my hand, perhaps because he wasn't concerned with me running away. While I walked, I thought. How was it that the students could believe in their cause so completely? Enough to commit treason and disregard their families, it seemed. But why? What was holding them together, motivating them to fight? I would just have to wait and see.

When we arrived at the cafe, it was already bustling with students. Courfeyrac and Gavroche walked straight into the room, but I lingered by the stairs.

"What's wrong?" Gavroche asked me. "They're all really nice. Hardly somethin' to be afraid of."

"They're strangers to me, Gavroche. I have a right to be wary of them." I reminded him, glancing quickly around the room. I saw a flash of red at the edge of my vision, but I already knew who it was. Turning, I saw Enjolras standing over a table, a map laid out before him.

"Ah, so you want to go talk to the fearless leader? Be my guest." Courfeyrac joked, nudging me towards Enjolras. Hesitantly, I made my way over to the blonde, who did not look up upon my approach.

"H-hello, monsieur." I stammered. Only then did he glace up, and I noticed that he was looking at a map of Paris.

"Hello. I don't believe I've seen you around here before. You may call me Enjolras, no monsieur added." he returned my greeting, holding out his hand.

Taking it, I replied, "Laurel. I'm a friend of Gavroche's, he brought me here today." Enjolras simply nodded and returned to his work.

"So Laurel, did Gavroche tell you what we're trying to do?" he asked me, not looking up.

"No, but I've been to one of your rallies. You're trying to overthrow the king, right?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"Yes, but there's more to it than that. We are trying to overthrow the king because of the way he trains the wealthy population of France to treat the poor like dogs. We're trying to ensure equal rights for all of France." the revolutionary replied, still not looking up. I wasn't sure if what I said next was out of guilt or sudden madness, but at the moment I didn't care.

"Can I join?" I asked. This caught Enjolras' attention, and he looked up at me.

"Are you sure? It might be dangerous." he said, his gaze level with mine. I didn't look away as I answered, "I am positive."

"Well then Laurel, welcome to the Les Amis de la ABC."


	3. Not About to Abandon You

**AN:This has been my most received story so far. Thanks for reading! I've decided that if I get a review on a chapter, the next chapter will be out in the next two days, so review to keep me on my toes!**

Although I was convinced that my previous request was one of madness, I couldn't help but feel a bit of pride. It seemed to me that Enjolras was excited by the idea of recruiting someone other than his fellow students. I could tell that he didn't say those words lightly, which made me feel... special, in a way. Soon after the words left his mouth, he motioned for Courfeyrac to approach.

"Courfeyrac, do you know Laurel?" Enjolras asked. The brunette nodded and shot me a questioning glance. His gaze was drawn back to his leader as the blonde said, "Fetch him a cockade. He's one of us now."

Courfeyrac's eyes widened at this new revelation, and a smile lit his face. He nodded and made his way across the large room, returning with a tricolor pin which he attached to my shirt with a flourish. I could see Gavroche beaming at me from across the room, an action which I gladly returned. I lifted my hand to gently brush past the pin that was now fixed on my body. My grin slowly faded to a small smile which I turned on Enjolras.

"Thank you." was all I said before making my way across the room. I reached Gavroche just as he was about to leave, leaning down to whisper in his ear, "My clothes."

The little gamin smiled and gestured for me to follow him. We made our way through the streets of Paris, which I had grown accustomed to walking. When we reached the alleyway where I had changed previously, he told me to meet him at the elephant at midnight.

"Wait, you!" I exclaimed, catching his arm. "How am I supposed to find my way through the slums in the dark?"

"Don't worry Lauralette, you'll find your way." the boy answered.

"Fine. And just call me Laurel, it's a lot less complicated that way." I replied, walking away from him. I could see his face light up, although I couldn't fathom why. I had simply told him to call me by a name he was familiar using. I shrugged, making my way back to my family's mansion.

I spent the time I had before dark in the library, having my food brought to me. When asked what I was reading, I simply said that I was doing research for a friend. It wasn't a complete lie, the books stacked beside me were sure to help the revolution. I smiled as I remembered the tricolor cockade that now sat in my pocket. For what I was realizing was the first time, I felt like I belonged somewhere.

It was well after dark when I crept out of the gates leading out into the slums. They were open during the day, but were firmly shut and locked when night fell. I had just barely managed to climb over a decrepit section of the wall that bordered the gates. As I walked alone in the dark, paranoia began to rise inside my chest. The slums were far from safe at night. Hell, they weren't safe during the day! I could feel my skin begin to crawl and couldn't help but quickly glace around me. I only saw the shadow creeping up behind me after it was too late.

I was thrown against a stone wall, the impact making me cry out in pain. My attacker was soon upon me, pinning me against the building. I could smell alcohol on the man's breath when he spoke.

"Well aren't you a pretty little thing to be wandering around in these parts." he slurred, and two others materialized out of the dark behind him. "Why don't you come with us?"

"I'd rather not, now let me go. I have an appointment with a friend." I said, trying to tear myself free of the drunk's grip. Before I could struggle anymore, I was flattened against the wall, the man's breath in my ear as he whispered, "You're not going anywhere."

"Help me!" I called out, sudden panic taking hold of me. I struggled harder, desperate to get free. At the end of the street, I saw a figure illuminated by lanterns lining the streets. The man had golden hair and a brown waistcoat. I was too far away to see him clearly, but none-the-less I called out, "Enjolras!"

The revolutionary bolted forward, quickly nearing the building that I was backed up against. He drew a revolver from the left hand pocket of his waistcoat and fired it at my captors. The three men fled back into the darkness, and I collapsed to the ground.

"Are you alright, mademoiselle? Did they harm you?" Enjolras asked, rushing to my side. I shook my head, lowering my gaze to the pavement. I glanced upward when he said, "Excuse me mademoiselle, but how do you know my name?"

My eyes widened as I remembered how I was dressed. In my desperation, I had called out to him without thinking that he would not recognize me. Not knowing what to say, I quickly stood up and bolted away from him.

"Wait! It isn't safe at night!" I heard Enjolras call after me, but I ignored him and kept running until I reached the elephant. Gavroche was waiting for me there.

"Gavroche hurry, give me my clothes!" I ordered, frantically looking around to make sure that the revolutionary hadn't followed me.

"Okay fine, fine. Didn't know you were that excited to go the the meeting!" the little guttersnipe said, shoving the garments into my hands. I changed quickly in an alleyway and pinned on my cockade, handing my dress to my friend. He stowed it away inside the elephant, and we were on our way to the cafe.

"You mentioned a meeting." I said as we walked through the darkened streets. Gavroche nodded and explained that every night, the Les Amis held meetings to discuss the plans for the revolution. I just nodded, but I knew that I was anxious. Would Enjolras recognize my face? Would he call me out for lying if he did figure it out? If he knew that I was a woman, would he even allow me to fight on the barricade? Then I stopped myself. _Who ever said anything about me fighting on the barricade anyway? _I asked myself.

"Hey Laurel, wake up!" Gavroche said, waving a hand in front of my face. "We're here!" I realized then that in my thoughts, I hadn't realized that we had arrived at the cafe. I shot a nervous smile at Gavroche and pushed open the door.

When we entered the cafe, the first thing we heard was laughter. I had expected some sort of speech, or at least silence, but not the jovial noises that now flooded the building. I glanced over at Gavroche, who just gave me an encouraging smile and gestured towards the staircase. Slowly but surely, I made my way across the room and began to climb.

Enjolras looked across the room to where Laurel was sitting, conversing with Courfeyrac. The younger boy had come in with Gavroche, who was sitting next to him. He wanted to ask the two gamins if they had seen where the blonde girl ran to, and if she was safe. She had run off before he got a good look at her face, and she had not spoken to him. Well, except to call out his name. How _had _she gotten his name in the first place? They hadn't met before, he was sure. Enjolras shrugged and pushed the girl to the back of his mind, focusing instead on what Combeferre was saying.

I could feel him looking at me, from across the room. Had he figured out that I wasn't who I claimed to be? Would he be angry with me?_ Why did I care? _I had only just met this man yesterday, and yet now here I was, worrying that he would be displeased with me. Why was I so concerned by him so fast? I shook my head, trying to clear it. Just as I turned away, Enjolras called out, "Laurel! Gavroche!"

We glanced at each other, and I could see the nervousness in his eyes as I was sure it was present in mine. We made our way across the room, afraid of what the revolutionary would want with us.

"Yes, Enjolras?" I asked in the voice that I had designated for _Laurel. _"Did you want something from us?"

"I saw a girl out on the streets tonight." he began, and I internally started to panic. "She ran off before I could see her face. Did either of you see a girl with blonde hair running through the slums before you came here?" I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing. He hadn't made the connection yet, I was still safe. I mentally sighed and thanked God that he hadn't seen my face. He had heard my voice, however, so I had to be careful. One slip up, and it would all come crashing down. I did not want to leave the Les Amis. Because of some odd trick of fate, I was here, and I was not about to abandon these men. Even if Enjolras found out who I really was one day, I would fight to stay here, where I belonged.


	4. Planning With You

**AN: Sorry that this is late! For some reason, my account isn't recognizing guest reviews, so I only see them when I check my email. Apologies, once again!**

I returned to my house in the early hours of the morning, climbing in through my window (luckily my chambers were on the first floor). Gavroche had told me to take "Laurel's" clothes home so that he didn't have to look after them. Sighing, I stowed the garments under my bed and snuggled under the covers. The meeting had been...odd, to say the least. I had met the rest of the Amis, but I would be lying if I said I remembered all of their names. I only remembered the ones that Courfeyrac had introduced me to, the ones that attended the University. I had enjoyed talking to the poet, Jehan, and Joly, the doctor. They were both very polite, and I had a feeling that I could get along with them well. The artist Grantaire was another story.

Flashback

I noticed him the second I turned away from Enjolras, slumped over by the bar.

"Courfeyrac, who is that?" I asked, pointing at the dark-haired drunk. Courfeyrac followed my gaze and let out a small chuckle.

"Oh, that's Grantaire. He's the skeptic of the group, only believes in Enjolras, not the cause. Or so he swears." he answered, amusement evident in his voice.

"So he doesn't believe we'll succeed?" I asked, a bit affronted. I may have thought like that at first, but now I supported the cause fully. Grantaire had obviously been part of the Amis far longer than I had, so why didn't he believe in the cause?

"No, he believes we will, but only because Enjolras is the leader. He says we'd be doomed to die if it were anyone else." Courfeyrac told me, but added as an afterthought, "But don't doubt his commitment. He may be too drunk to remember his own name on a regular basis, but he's honest. If he thought we were going to die, he would say so."

I nodded, but made no movement to talk to the drunkard. He didn't look like he wanted company anyhow. Instead I made my way over to a blonde that had previously been engaged in conversation with Enjolras.

"Hello." I said when I reached him.

"Hello. You must be this 'Laurel' that I've heard about." the man said, smiling at me. "I'm Combeferre." He offered his hand, so I shook it. We conversed for a short while, and he told me that he was a philosophy student in the same year as Enjolras.

"So, I see you've met our second in command." Courfeyrac laughed, joining our conversation. I nodded and gestured for the brunette to sit down.

"Yes, Laurel and I were just getting to know each other." Combeferre replied, and I nodded again in conformation.

"Well that's nice. Laurel, I think Enjolras wanted to talk to you." Courfeyrac said, indicating the leader, who was looking at us expectantly. I sighed and made my way over to him, silently panicking. What if he had made the connection after all, but he just didn't want to tell the others? Would he be angry with me if he did know? Would he regret making me one of them?

"You needed me for something, Enjolras?" I asked, trying to keep my voice under control. The blonde man didn't seem to acknowledge my alarm, simply stating, "Yes, I did."

"I need you to go out and find that girl I mentioned. I'm worried that something will happen to her." he elaborated. I widened my eyes in surprise.

"Forgive me for saying so, but you don't seem like the kind of man to worry about a girl." I said, cocking my head to the side.

"Yes well, it is dangerous in the slums at night. I would hate for a civilian to be harmed when it could have been prevented." he replied, glancing away from me. I sighed.

* * *

"Sure Enjolras, I'll find her. I'll return here after I've taken her home. Can Gavroche come with me?" I asked, gesturing to the boy. Enjolras nodded, and off we went.

Gavroche and I had some time to kill before going back to the cafe, considering that Enjolras' mystery girl was actually me.

"So how did you let him see you, exactly?" the guttersnipe asked as we sat in an alleyway behind the cafe.

"These drunkards came out of nowhere, and they wouldn't let me go. I saw him at the end of the street, and in my panic I called out without thinking. He didn't get a good look at my face and didn't recognize my voice, so I think I'm safe." I explained to my friend, my legs dangling off the edge of a crate.

"That's good. Enjolras wouldn't force you out of the Amis just for bein' a girl, but you're rich, so he might think that you're a spy or somethin'. Be careful, Laurel." the boy warned me, his blue eyes staring into my brown ones.

"I will Gavroche, I will." I sighed. An hour passed as we talked, and soon we returned to the cafe. The Amis were still active, but to say that they were at work would be lying. I had a feeling that no matter how hard Enjolras tried to get them to work, they would continue to laze around and socialize. Such a thing was fine with me, but I could tell that Enjolras was irritated by it. I decided to ease his nerves by refocusing his mind on work.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, gesturing to the map that he was staring at.

"Trying to determine where the barricades will be built." he answered, not taking his eyes off of the parchment.

"Barricade_s? _Plural?" I asked. Enjolras nodded, and asked, "Why?"

"Well I just think we would have a better chance of winning if we build one large barricade. Strength in numbers and all of that." I explained to him. I pointed to a spot marked on the map."Maybe we could build it in the center of Saint Michelle. You know, by 'Roche's elephant?" Enjolras seemed to ponder the idea for awhile, then gave me a small smile.

"Yes, you are right. We would have a better chance of winning if we concentrated our forces at the same spot. Good work, Laurel." he said, and I beamed back at him. Though, the smile soon faded off of my face.

"It's going to take more than a day to build what we need, you know. We'll have to gradually build it up, without the police noticing it. By the time they do notice, it should be too large for them to do anything about it." I told him. He nodded and appeared to be lost in thought, so I moved away from him, intending on rejoining Courfeyrac and Combeferre.

"Wait Laurel." he said, and the tone of voice he used made him sound as if he tried to reach out to catch me. I turned and simply asked, "Yes Enjolras?"

"Stay by me for the remainder of the night,if you would. We need to discuss this idea more thoroughly." he said, pointing to the spot beside him. I nodded and rejoined him, ignoring the look that I received from Courfeyrac.

End Flashback

I laid in bed, thinking. In my head, I visualized a huge, almost impossibly large barricade. I wondered if this was what was in Enjolras' mind also. At no point during the meeting had I ever doubted that this would work, but now I wasn't so sure. The thought of losing any of the Amis stung my heart, so I tried to distract myself. I could see where Grantaire was coming from, it's better to live as a skeptic than live with false hope. Grantaire didn't _want _to believe that the barricade could succeed, because it would hurt even more if it failed. I wondered if deep down, the drunkard cared deeply about everyone in the Amis, but didn't want to show it. I thought of how he drowned himself in alcohol at the meeting, and wondered if that was to keep thoughts of failure at bay. I would have to attempt to talk to him at the next meeting.

I remembered Enjolras' face when he thought of his "mystery girl." He had seemed frightened for her, for _me. _I couldn't blame him, the slums were exceptionally dangerous at night, but maybe deep down, I hoped that it was more than just concern in his eyes.

**AN: Thank you for reading this story so far! Remember, if you review, the next chapter will be ****out in three days, tops! Review telling me how you want the story to go!**


	5. Secrets From You

The promise of more rain came with the rising sun. I sighed and snuggled farther into my bed, still weary from last night's "adventures." Clara, my favorite maid, came to wake me at mid-morning and seemed surprised to find me still in bed. Usually, I was awake and dressed far earlier, but today I could barely find the energy to drag myself from bed.

"Is something wrong, mademoiselle?" Clara asked as she dressed me, and I shook my head.

"Nothing to worry about Clara, I just had a bit of a restless night is all." this wasn't a complete lie, I had not slept well. There were too many thoughts occupying my mind for it to be possible. I was constantly being awoken from dreams of barricades and blonde revolutionaries. I simply couldn't seem to tear my mind away from the Les Amis. The worry that I would be discovered was still present, although it had been dulled by Enjolras' apparent ignorance. I wondered what tonight's meeting would hold in store. Each day that passed could be the day that General La Marque died, or lived. The waiting was the worst part. All we could do was wait and plan, and wonder. Wonder when the time was right for our barricade to arise. I sighed as all of this seemed to rust through my head at once. When the head rush was over, I found me thoughts lingering on Enjolras. The blonde revolutionary and I had worked well into the night, planning. I had found it hard to focus with him so close to me, even if we were working together. The man was a golden god, passionate and fierce. Not to mention beautiful. But there was no way he would love one such as me. His only love was for his Patria, whether I wanted it or not.

I gasped inwardly. When had I started thinking like this? I had never been interested in love, and I was already engaged to a young baron that I had never met. All I knew about him was that his grandfather was a very wealthy man. How could I possibly be attracted to an asexual revolutionary that just happened to look like a god, of all people? I sighed again, and realizing Clara had gone, practically tore off my dress. I slipped into the shirt and trousers I had hidden under my bed and tucked my blonde curls into the black newsboys cap. I pulled on my worn leather boots and slipped out my window.

I ran through the streets and into the slums, not knowing where to meet Gavroche. The little gamin hadn't arranged a meeting, but it was an unspoken agreement that I go to the slums every morning. In the end I decided to head towards the elephant, where I knew Gavroche would most likely be. On my way there, I ran into someone.

"Oh, my apologies!" I exclaimed, stepping backwards.

"It's no trouble." the man said, and I instantly recognized the voice.

"Courfeyrac?" I asked, cocking my head sideways. With this motion, my cap-that had already been jostled by the impact- fell off my head. My hair fell around my waist, and I gasped. The damage had already been done, the brunette standing in front of me had seen everything.

"Laurel?" he asked, a shocked look on his kind face. I sighed, defeated.

"Yes Courfeyrac, I'm a woman. But you _cannot _tell the rest of the Amis. Gavroche knows." I added the last part on when he opened his mouth, as if to speak. Courfeyrac nodded and offered my his hand.

"I will not speak a word of this to anyone, not even Gavroche. You have my word, Laurel." he promised. I smiled and shook his hand.

"Thank you Courfeyrac, you are a true friend. I am sorry that you now have to keep a secret from the Amis. This was supposed to be Gavroche's and my burden only." I said, lowering my gaze.

"You could just tell them. They would understand." the brunette told me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"It's not the Amis I'm worried about." I replied, looking into his eyes. He held my gaze and realization seemed to pass over his face. He uttered one word, "Enjolras."

I nodded and sighed. "If I tell the truth now, he'll wonder why I lied. I'll be forced to tell him that I'm from a rich family, and before I met all of you I believed in the same thing he is now fighting against. What conclusion do you think he'll jump to?"

"But you're not a spy. I can see it in your eyes and the way you are worrying now." Courfeyrac said.

"Try telling that to Enjolras." I said, lowering my gaze.

"Laurel, I will do everything within my power to make sure that Enjolras never find out who you really are. You are mon ami, and I don't wish to see you forced from the Amis." he said, his hand sliding off my shoulder.

"Thank you. You are too kind to me." I muttered, before looking up at him. "Have you seen Gavroche? I'm going to meet him this morning."

"As a matter of fact, he said something to me about going to the cafe this morning. Would you like to accompany me there?" he asked. I nodded and he crouched to pick up my abandoned cap. "Better put this on, madame." I thanked him and situated the cap on my head, and we started off to the cafe.

When we arrived at the cafe, Gavroche was already there. He smiled at me from across the room, and I went to go join him.

"Fancy meeting you here." he joked, gesturing for me to take a seat next to him.

"Courfeyrac knows." I whispered in his ear, and the boy's eyes widened a bit. "Do not worry, ma petite ami. He has promised to keep our secret." I added, and we cast a glance at the brunette. He winked at us from across the room, and I smiled. I had faith that no matter what happened, ami le plus vrai would keep my secret.

**AN: Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story! This is the fifth chapter, and I've gotten 418 views in a little under 3 weeks. I'll try to post chapters more frequently, but I have my off days. I apologize that this chapter was so short, but it felt like a good place to stop.**

** A guest- Laurel is supposed to be around 20 years old, since I figured Enjolras was about 22 (I'm sure The Brick says his age, but I haven't read it)**

** Translations:**

**Ami le plus vrai- My truest friend**

**Ma petite ami- my little friend**


	6. Conversations With You

After nearly a week of rain, the clouds had finally cleared up. I smiled to myself as I walked to the cafe. Gavroche had told me to simply meet him there every morning, since that was where we would be headed anyway. The sky was blue, and the clouds were wispy. I tried hard to not get lost in thought, and to pay attention to where where I was going. Last time I let my mind wander I ended up giving away my secret. Albeit it was to Courfeyrac, but next time I might not get so lucky. I sighed, once again feeling the weight of my secret on my shoulders. I wanted to tell the Amis so badly, but it was impossible to do that while there was a chance that Enjolras would catch wind of it. So in other words, no possibility whatsoever. The times I regretted ever letting Gavroche convince me to put on the rags I was wearing now almost outweighed the times that I was glad to be part of the Amis. Almost.

I entered the cafe and was surprised to find that I was the first one there. I sat down by the window and looked down on the streets of Paris, reflecting on my thoughts. I don't know how long I sat there before I heard a voice that startled me out of my daze.

"Laurel?" I could tell it was him before I even turned my head.

"Hello Enjolras. Lovely weather, isn't it?" I asked politely.

"Quite. There is no morning meeting today, why are you here?" he asked, straight to the point. I began to panic in my mind, but eventually settled on telling him the truth.

"I wasn't informed. I usually meet Gavroche before coming to the cafe, but today I came straight here. I assume I should have stopped by the elephant." I admitted, turning to face the blonde revolutionary. He simply nodded and sat down at a nearby table.

"You don't mind if I stay, do you? I find it easier to think here than anywhere else." I asked, getting up from my seat by the window in the event that he wished me gone.

"Of course you can stay. The cafe is as much your place as mine. You are one of the Amis after all." Enjolras said, not looking up from the document he was writing. I nodded and smiled, trying going back to to what I was doing before he walked in. I realized then that what I had been doing was thinking about him subconsciously. I looked over at the god-like man out of the corner of my eye, admiring the way his facial expression changed as he wrote. I was curious as to what he was working on, but I didn't want to disturb him to ask something so trivial.

"Is there something you wanted to talk to me about, Laurel?" he asked, and I jumped. He looked over at me with a small smile, and I knew that he had caught me staring.

"Forgive me, monsieur. I was just wondering what you were working on so diligently." I said, tilting my head to the side in a curious manner.

"I am writing a letter to General LaMarque. He is in no condition to return the favor of course, but I enjoy updating him on our progress. I am in the process of telling him the details of what we discussed the other night." he replied, finally looking up at me.

"He's like a father to you, non?" I asked, making my way across the room to stand by his side.

"In a way, yes. The General is a father figure to me." Enjolras replied, nodding his head thoughtfully.

"I can respect that. I have never been on particularly...close terms with my father, so I can imagine your position." I said, placing my hand on the back of his chair. I thought for a moment and added, "I admire you a lot, Enjolras."

"Oh? And why is that?" he asked, turning in his chair to face me.

"You're so sure in everything you do. And if you're not sure, you don't do it. I think that your ability to give the people confidence is amazing." I said, smiling.

"Well, yes...thank you." He muttered, turning back around. I received the strong notion that he wasn't used to being directly complimented, and I laughed. He turned his head to look at me questioningly, and I quickly explained the cause for my amusement. "I have never seen the fearless leader embarrassed before. It's quite amusing, if you'll forgive me for saying so." I giggled.

"I am not...embarrassed. I am simply flattered by your compliments." Enjolras tried to defend himself, but I got the feeling that he knew his persuasions wouldn't work.

"Whatever you say, Apollo." I laughed. Realizing what I had just called him, I immediately stopped laughing.

"Pardon? What was it you called me?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"No-nothing monsieur. Forgive me, but I must be going. I will see you at the meeting later tonight." I stuttered, and hastily turned to go. Before I could make it to the stairs, however, he caught my wrist and held me back.

"Is something wrong, Laurel?" he asked, looking down into my eyes. I shook my head hurriedly and tried to tug my arm away from his grasp. "You are acting strange all of a sudden. What did you call me to elicit such a reaction?"

"I...I called you A-Apollo." I stammered, lowering my gaze to the floor.

"Why would you call me by such a name?" he asked, a look of confusion on his face.

"B-Because when you speak I can see a fire like the sun in your eyes." I whispered, closing my eyes against his reaction. "And you carry yourself in such a godly manner." There was a gap of silence, and for a moment I wished that I could find out what he was thinking.

Enjolras' POV

Enjolras listened carefully as the younger boy finished his sentence. Laurel seemed to shrink under his gaze, become smaller and more fragile. He released his grasp on the boy, smiling when the blonde did not open his eyes or raise his head. He had no idea why the boy was embarrassed, but he found it...endearing. Realizing where his thoughts were going, Enjolras shook his head. He did not have time to dwell on the appearance or attractive behavior of any of the Amis.

"Again, I am flattered by your compliments, although I do not see qualities in myself that would rival a god's." Enjolras said, and Laurel finally looked up.

"You mean, you aren't...annoyed?" the younger boy asked, cocking his head to the side.

"No, of course not. Thank you for the compliments, I am undeserving of such flattery." Enjolras said, giving the younger boy a small smile.

"You are not undeserving, you are more deserving than you will ever know. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm sure Gavroche is wondering where I am." Laurel replied, and then turned and left. This left Enjolras to wonder if the boy was aware of all of the admirable qualities in himself.

Laurel's POV

I practically ran to the elephant, trying to get as far away from Enjolras as possible. It wasn't as if I was feeling an aversion to the man himself, just the situation I had recently placed myself in. Whether my face was flushed from running or the previous scenario was debatable, but either way Gavroche would want to know what was keeping me. I didn't know why I felt reluctant to tell my friend the truth, but I felt as if the moment with Enjolras should remain between those involved. To me, it seemed as if Enjolras was very rarely alone with any one of the Amis excepting Combeferre. For us to spend the time we had together, I felt special, despite my brain telling me otherwise. So for the time being I would keep it a secret, only to be recalled in the safe confinements of my mind, which were becoming increasingly less safe.


	7. Hating You

**AN: There's a lot of plot in this chapter, and drama too! It was hard to write because I kept cringing and getting angry, so yeah, enjoy!**

I walked quickly through the darkness of the slums. This time, I was aware of every single shadow or movement, alert to every possible threat. I wondered if this was what the rats in the gutter thought every second of the day, wondering if the streets were safe. Finally, I arrived at the cafe and pushed the door open. I spoke not a word to the barmaid and headed straight up the stairs, following the sound of laughter. I spotted Gavroche across the room, already talking with Courfeyrac and Jehan. I made my way over to them, only to be stopped my someone catching my arm. I spun around to see a thin brunette with a freckled face, looking at me in confusion.

"Can I help you, monsieur?" I asked, slowly drawing my arm away from his grasp.

"I've seen your face somewhere before." he said, looking into my eyes. Combeferre overheard us and shook his head, chuckling lightly.

"No doubt around the slums, Pontmercy. That is where Laurel here lives." he said, gesturing to me.

"Laurel? Surely not. I know a woman when I see her." the newcomer, Pontmercy said. Across the room, Courfeyrac laughed.

"Woman? Surely Laurel does not appear _that _feminine to you, Marius!" he exclaimed, winking at me. I nodded frantically, trying to draw the brunette away from the conclusion he was drawing. Then I froze. Pontmercy. Marius Pontmercy. That was the name of the baron I was to marry, the one with the wealthy grandfather. I couldn't move, so frozen in horror as I was. As Marius continued to stare at me, he gasped.

"Lauralette? Lauralette Alexandria Babineax, daughter of Francis Babineax?" he asked. "Yes, I'm sure of it. But what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, you must be confusing me with someone else, monsieur. My name is Laurel LeRouge, I grew up in the slums." I said frantically, meeting Gavroche's eye, which held panic.

"Laurel, would you remove your cap?" Enjolras asked, coming up to stand beside Combeferre.

"I...I.." I stuttered, true fear clenching my stomach. I tugged at my cravat nervously, silently pleading with Gavroche to get me out of this mess. He quickly ran over and tried to pull me away from everyone; but someone, Fieully I think, held me back.

"Why are you all so concerned by this? There's no way Laurel could be this... Babineax girl." Courfeyrac said, trying to dissuade the rest of the Amis. Enjolras, however, would not be so easily convinced.

"Laurel, remove your cap." he said, taking a step forward. Suddenly, someone pulled the newsboys cap off of my head, and my golden hair came cascading down my shoulders. There was a collective gasp from the Amis, and I lowered my head in shame.

"I can explain." I whispered, mainly to Enjolras.

"Why not first explain who you are." Enjolras said, his voice a cool rage. I flinched involuntarily at his tone and immediately wished I hadn't, for it could be taken as a sign of guiltiness for whatever crime he branded upon me after hearing the truth.

"I am exactly who Marius said I am. And before you ask, I know Marius because we are betrothed, although we have never met until now." I explained, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.

"And are you aware that your father is one of the most devoted supporter of the king in Paris?" the revolutionary asked slowly, the fire in his eyes smoldering. Although this time from anger, rather than passion. "Why did you join the Amis, traitre?" I flinched again at the term.

"I am not a traitre, Enjolras. I wanted to fight for France's freedom, just like everyone else in this room." I said, my gaze still on the floor.

"I find that hard to believe, especially after you fooled Gavroche into bringing you here." he snapped back, and Gavroche bolted in front of him.

"Now hold on a minute, Enjolras. I knew Lauralette was a girl. I was the one who gave her the clothes!" he exclaimed, glaring up at our leader. "She ain't no spy!"

"Or so she's made you believe. How do you know you're not being deceived as well, Gavroche?" Enjolras asked, turning his cool gaze on the boy.

"Why can't you just trust me? Don't you believe in second chances? Aren't we friends, Enjolras?" I asked, taking a step towards him.

"I am not _friends _ with people like you." the blonde spat, and it felt like I had been struck across the face. I stumbled backwards, and looked at him with wide eyes. Enjolras, who was so passionate, yet kind. Or so I had believed. None of the kindness he had shown me this morning was present now.

"People. Like. _Me?_" I shrieked in sudden rage and disbelief. I felt the tears coming to my eyes and tried to blink them back, but they fell anyway. This was the one place I thought I had belonged, and now I was losing even this?

"How _dare _you! I'm the same person as last night, or this morning! I'm. The. Same. Person. And yet you fail to see that. You are a horrible person. Why do you pretend to be so kind? Even when I was being attacked, and I called out to you on the street, you were kind to me. This morning, when I embarrassed myself completely, you were kind to me. You have never regarded me with disgust in your eyes, only kindness. How could you say such things and still be so kind?" I sobbed, backing towards the door. "I...I thought I might actually love you. But now? Now I...I _hate you!_" I screamed, running out the door and down the street, not stopping until I reached my house, where I collapsed on the front step, sobbing.

**AN: Soooo? How do we feel? Please don't hate me, it will get better for her, but not immediately.**


	8. Thinking of You

One Week Later

I laid in bed, thinking. I couldn't tear my mind away from the Amis, no matter how hard I tried. I had stopped leaving the house so I didn't have to see any of them, and yesterday I hadn't even left my room. The servants in the house knew something was wrong, but none of them said anything, for which I was grateful. One, I didn't want to talk about it. Two, I didn't want it leaking back to my father. I didn't want to know what he would do if he found out that I was associated with the Amis. I hadn't eaten for the past few days, and I could barely stomach the water the servants brought me. If the people in the slums couldn't have it, I didn't want it. Leaving the Amis made me feel worse about my lifestyle, and frankly dying seemed like the best way to go. I had lost the place where I felt like I belonged, and there was no going back. I had thrown my cockade onto the ground as I fled the cafe, knowing it would make me feel worse if I had it to remind me.

Suddenly, I heard a knock on the door and said into the quiet of the room, "Come in."

Standing at the door was Clara, my favorite maid, and my father. My heart skipped a beat as I sat upright in bed, riveted by shock. My father rarely acknowledged my presence in the dinign hall, and he _never _visited my room.

"Father!" I exclaimed as he walked farther into the room, motioning for Clara to leave us. This made me nervous. If he had only wanted to visit me to check on my condition, he would have permitted Clara to stay. No, he wanted to talk, and I wasn't sure if I did.

"Lauralette, the servants say that you have been acting strangely as of late. Is there a problem?" he asked, remaining standing. My father was a tall, intimidating man with beady blue eyes and balding blonde hair. Even I was was frightened by him at times, like now.

"Nothing father, it's just..." I stuttered to a halt. What was I doing?

"Just what? You can confide in me, daughter." he did not say it in a comforting manner, but more demanding than anything else.

"W-well, you know those revolutionaries? From the academy?" I asked cautiously, and he laughed. It was a cruel, dry sound.

"To call them revolutionaries would be feeding their impossible cause. They are traitors, daughter." he said, and I felt my blood boil, but stayed in control. I _had _to stay in control.

"Yes well, the _traitors._" I continued through gritted teeth. "I was one of them father. I am not proud of it, but I felt like I belonged there. With the revolutionaries. They were...welcoming. Friendly, even. But they found out who I was..." I was cut off with a stinging slap across the face. I stared up at my father, who was doing nothing to contain his rage. He was nothing like Enjolras, who attempted to stay in control, even when he was angered. Then I remembered that I was supposed to hate Enjolras. I had said it to his face, and there was no going back.

"_They found out who you _are? _Have you any idea what you have done to this family?! This could _ruin_ our reputation! Get out of my sight! No daughter of mine associates themselves with those _traitors!" my father screamed, his face red with fury.

"Father please!" I begged. "They forced me out of their group when they found out who I am! I am not one of them anymore! Please don't send me away!"

"Did you not hear me girl? Get out of this house, and never return!" he yelled. Pulling my up by my hair, he walked me to the door and threw me out onto the pavement, slamming the door behind him. I sobbed in pain and despair, crawling out the giant iron gates and into the slums. I crawled into an alleyway, slumped against a wall, and wept bitterly.

One Month Later

Gavroche made his way through the slums on his way to the Amis meeting and thought, as he often did, of Lauralette. He hadn't seen her for a little over a month, ever since Enjolras had forced her out of the Amis. For a short while; he, Courfeyrac, and a few other Amis that had been close to the girl stopped going to meetings in a protest of sorts. He had known how Enjolras would react, and yet he found it hard to forgive the leader. Suddenly, Gavroche heard sobbing from a nearby alleyway. He stopped and turned towards the narrow strip, peering into the darkness. The cries were definitely that of a woman; and Gavroche, curious, started towards the noise. As he got nearer, a crumpled shape began to form n the pavement. When he was but a foot away, the boy gasped. _It can't be! _He thought. Filthy long blonde hair lead to an even filthier girl, but even through the grime he recognized her.

"Lauralette?" he choked out. The girl lifted her head and regarded him with wary brown eyes. "Lauralette, don't you recognize me? It's Gavroche."

"Gavroche? Have you come to take me to heaven? Are you dead? Is Enjolras there? I would very much like to see him. And the other Amis too, of course. How is Courfeyrac?" Lauralette asked in a choked, faint whisper. Tears began to fall down Roche's cheeks as he discovered his friend was dying. He had only just found here again, and now he was going to lose her? Not if he could do anything about it!

"Hush, Lauralette. I'm going to go get Joly and Combeferre, and we can all go to heaven together." he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"Okay Gavroche, okay. Hurry back though, I do so want to end this suffering." the girl whispered, her head resting against the pavement again.

Gavroche never ran so fast in his life.


	9. Saved by You

**AN:Don't forget to check my profile for a poll about how this story should end! I want your input! Enjoy!**

Gavroche's feet worked at the pavement. He willed them to go faster, although he was running faster than he ever had before. Lauralette was dying, he couldn't run fast _enough. _Finally he reached the cafe, and without adjusting his pace, ran up the stairs.

"Joly, Combeferre, you have to help 'er!" he yelled, breaking down into hysterics.

"Help who, petit? What's wrong?" Courfeyrac asked, alarmed by the tears in Gavroche's eyes.

"Lauralette! She's dying! Help her, please!" the gamin yelled, taking off down the stairs again. He could tell that most of the Amis were following him, and he could only hope that Combeferre, Joly, and Enjolras were among them. He knew that others who had been close to the girl during her time in the Amis would be there. Jehan and Courfeyrac, to name a couple. He couldn't look behind him to find out, he had all of his concentration fixed on his friend.

When, at last, they reached the alleyway that Lauralette was resting in, Gavroche was openly sobbing. He had never had someone close to him die before, and he didn't want the first person to be Lauralette. He grasped her hand and gently whispered her name as steadily as he could manage.

"Oh, you're back, Gavroche. Is it time to go to heaven now? I assume you've brought others, but I can't see them very well." she said, smiling despite her pain. Joly moved closer and knelt down beside the girl.

"Laurel? Er, sorry, Lauralette. Do you remember me?" he asked gently.

"Of course I do, Joly, of course I do. You were a good friend to me in the Amis." Lauralette nodded, and a quiet hiss of pain could be heard.

"As you were for me, madame. Where does it hurt?" Joly asked her.

"Ah, that's hard to say. I suppose it hurts the most in my head and stomach, but everything else hurts too." was the reply.

"May I pick you up, madame?" Joly asked.

"No." Gavroche answered for her, and Joly looked at him questioningly. He quickly explained. "It has to be Enjolras." At the mention of his name, the blonde stepped into the alleyway.

"Is there something you require, Joly, Gavroche?" he asked. Gavroche and the young doctor, who had their gazes turned to Lauralette, noticed the girl's eyes light up at the sound of his voice.

"You see? It's got to be him." Gavroche said to Joly.

"What has got to be me?" Enjolras asked, looking confused.

"You need to carry her back to the cafe. I can't treat her here, and she'll feel more comfortable with you." Joly explained.

"But she hates me, remember? Why would she be more comfortable with me?" the marble man asked, his tone now accusing. "And why is she out here anyway? Did the king tire of her and toss her to the streets? Was she no longer a adequate spy?"

"She never was a spy!" Gavroche shouted in a sudden rage. Enjolras looked shocked that the boy would produce such an outburst. "If she was a spy, why did she ask about the Amis when I found her here? She seemed _worried _about you. And maybe _you _didn't notice, but she looked happier as soon as you started talking. And she's my friend! I would never be friends with someone who spies for the king!" Gavroche yelled, tears still streaming down his cheeks. "She's _dying, _Enjolras. Why can't you see that she needs our help? She's become the kind of person we're fighting for!" For once, the leader of the Les Amis was speechless. How could this boy, who knew so little of the world, see something that he could not? This girl, Lauralette, she _was _dying. She did need their help, so why did he feel so oddly about her? Why did his stomach clench when he glanced at the dying girl on the pavement, who was still smiling? He had seen that same smile before, from across a room.

Flashback

Lauralette sat in the corner of the cafe, talking to Gavroche and Courfeyrac. They talked in hushed tones, in fear that they might be overheard. The discussion was mainly about how they were going to keep her identity from the rest of the Amis, mainly Enjolras. The blonde revolutionary was the only thing on her mind as of late, as was the constant worry that he would find out who she was. She smiled, a sad smile that expressed all of the pain and confusion she felt at being forced to keep her true self a secret. She dearly wished that she could have been born Laurel LeRouge, if only to avoid all of this. It was then that she felt selfish and ashamed of her thoughts. To have been born into a life of poverty when so many in the slums deserved her lifestyle was a selfish wish. She pushed it to the back of her mind, the sad smile remained on her face.

End Flashback

Enjolras recalled the memory clearly, and with it came the somehow fond memory, of the morning before he found out who she was. Even after the incident, when he was certain that she had been a traitor, he held the moment in high regards. He would not admit it to himself, but he often found himself recalling the memory when he was alone.

Now, as the person he had shared that morning with was dying on the pavement, his often certain resolve shattered. He knelt down next to the girl and lifted her tiny, light frame. Lauralette instantly nuzzled into the warmth of his chest and her smile grew content. She let out a soft sigh and her eyes closed.

"I think I'm ready to go to heaven now, Gavroche." she said in a weak voice. It was the first time Enjolras had heard her speak since she had screamed at him in the cafe, nearly a month prior. Her tone was so much different. Before, it had been filled with rage, disbelief, and anguish. Now it was weak, the voice of a person who was ready to give in.

"Not yet." Enjolras whispered, so low that only she could hear. "You can't go to sleep yet. Soon, but not yet." At the sound of his voice, she opened her eyes.

"Enjolras..." she whispered back to him. He looked into her brown eyes, which were glazed with suffering. They were not the eyes of the young gamin in the cafe. These were the eyes of a dying, broken girl. "I'm sorry."

Enjolras was shocked, to say the least. What could the blonde in his arms possibly be sorry for?

"Sorry for what?" he asked her, continuing on their nearly silent conversation. The girl opened her mouth as if to answer, but then shut it again. She simply repeated the two words, over and over again, her eyes never leaving his face.

When they finally reached the cafe, Lauralette had fallen into a light sleep. Enjolras kept his eyes on her chest, making certain that her shallow breaths were still there. His eyes often flickered to her face, which still held the saddened, pained smile. She had whispered her mantra to him until she fell asleep, and he was still waiting for an explanation. What was she sorry for? He was convinced that she wasn't a spy, so what else could it be? Was she sorry for lying to him about her identity?

He followed Joly into a side room, where the doctor motion for him to lay the girl down on a cot. He did as he was told before promptly being rushed out of the room. He walked back into the main room of the cafe, where the Amis were dispersed about the room. The majority of Lauralette's friends were seated at the table closest to the door. Gavroche and Jehan were both crying, while Combeferre and Courfeyrac tried to console them. Even Grantaire, who the girl had grown increasingly close to, was seated at the table. The dark-haired drunk's eyes were fixed on the door into Lauralette's sickroom, and only flickered to Enjolras when he sat down across from him.

"It's not fun to drink without her healthy." Grantaire explained when Enjolras inquired as to why he was not holding a bottle. "Not as if I drink for fun, but she doesn't like it when I drink too much."

It was then that Enjolras realized that Grantaire had been increasingly more sober for the past month. All because the girl in the next room didn't like it when he had too much. The revolutionary had never been more amazed by someone, as odd as it sounded. Lauralette had managed to do what he never could, separate the drunk cynic from his bottle.

Enjolras stood up from the table so suddenly that everyone sitting around him stared. Without a word, he turned and entered the room where Joly was diligently working on his friend.

"You shouldn't see her like this. I'm sure she wouldn't like it." the young doctor said when he spotted Enjolras. However, he made no move to chase the blonde from the room once again, so said blonde took it as acceptance of his presence.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked Joly.

"She has a fever, a broken wrist, and she's starving." Joly answered while wrapping the girls injured arm in cloth bandages. "Look what I found in her pocket."

The young doctor turned and held out his hand. Enjolras' eyes widened as he realized what he was looking at. In Joly's hand was a clean multicolored cockade.

**AN: So, how are we feeling? I hope this chapter satisfies you until I can write the next one.**

** Clearly Lock- Thank you! I liked that line a lot too, which is why I wrote it. =)**

** Payton- Really? I've found plenty of good OC fanfictions. Or are you just talking about for the Les Mis. Fandom?**

** Eleanor- Me too. I kept getting mad at fictional characters while writing that chapter. But at least Enjolras redeems himself in this chapter, even just a bit.**

** Guest- Thank you, I will remember that petite is feminine and petit is not. Thanks for helping me with that!**

** Kiera- Calm down gurl, it's here!**


	10. Surprising You

"S-she kept that?" Enjolras hated the way his voice shook, but he couldn't help it. He was surprised, ashamed, and a bit...pleased, although he would never admit it. The thought that Lauralette had kept the cockade as if it was dear to her was a thought that Enjolras hated and enjoyed. Hated because he had been the one to force her out of the place that was dear to her, and enjoyed because he found it a comfort to know that she didn't completely hate him. He shook the second thought from his mind. Why should he care if Lauralette hated him or not? It had nothing to do with the revolution.

"It has everything to do with the revolution." Joly said from across the room. When Enjolras gave his a questioning glance, he added on, "You've been talking to yourself aloud."

"How does it have everything to do with the revolution?" Enjolras asked, trying to hide his embarrassment. He remembered telling Lauralette that he didn't get embarrassed...

"She's one of the people we're fighting for now. We're fighting for the poor, and Lauralette is definitely poor. She hasn't had anything to eat in at least a week, and there are signs that suggest that the water she's been drinking hasn't been at all clean. In fact, the starvation and unclean water may be the cause of why she's dying." Joly said, a worried look on his face. "It can't really be _treated _in a physical sense. All we can do is feed her, give her clean water, and hope whatever she's come down with passes. If it doesn't...you may want to consider the possibility of-"

"No. It will not come to that. If we can't save one starving girl, how can we be expected to save Patria?" Enjolras quickly cut off the brunette. For some reason, he found the thought of the fragile blonde dying to be horribly upsetting. He brushed the strange feeling aside. He felt the same about all of the Amis, Lauralette wasn't at all special. She was just a girl; a girl that probably hated him.

"She doesn't hate you. You can see it in her eyes. And are you aware that you keep doing that?" Joly asked, obviously amused.

"D-doing what?" Enjolras asked.

"Talking out loud. Oddly enough, it all seems to be about how you are worried about her hating you. I just thought I would offer you some solace." the doctor responded, turning back to his work. "I don't think she could hate you, even if she wanted to. And believe me, I'm sure she's wanted to more that a few times."

"How to you know that?" Enjolras asked, genuinely curious.

"Because of what she said the night she left the Amis. It sounded like she was trying so hard to hate you, trying to rationalize it to herself, but couldn't do it. She was crying, if you remember. People don't cry out of rage. She was anguished and terrified. She didn't want to leave." Joly recounted, a look of sadness on his face. "During the week that Gavroche, Courfeyrac, Jehan, Grantaire, Combeferre, and I weren't attending meetings, we searched for her. Marius showed us her family home, and we tried to visit her there, but the maid at the door looked so sad when she answered the door that we left. We wondered if she had been killed, and we concluded that it was best not to find out. So, we stopped searching. I just wish we would have searched the slums. It would have saved her from this." He ended the speech with a gesture at Lauralette, who was sound asleep.

"You cannot blame yourself for this. I just wonder why she didn't come to you for help. You're her friends." Enjolras said, shame building in his gut. If he hadn't forced her out of the Amis...

"She was frightened, I assume. She didn't want to be turned away, didn't want to discover that we no longer welcomed her. She didn't want to feel even more alone than she already was." Joly said as he stood. "I've done all I can do for her at the moment. Stay here in case she wakes up?"

"Of course." Enjolras answered, sitting in a chair by the small cot that held the fragile girl. When the doctor was safely out of earshot, he turned to the blonde.

"I am aware that you are unable to hear me, but I'm sorry too. I should not have jumped to conclusions about who you were. I'm sorry I left you alone, and made you feel unwanted. I'm sorry I forced you out of the Amis. I'm sorry for everything that's happened to you, because it was my fault. I'm sorry." he didn't know why he felt the need to apologize to her, but he did. He honestly felt that everything that had happened to her was because of him. He should have listened to her when she said she wasn't a spy. He should have allowed her to stay in the Amis. He should have, but he didn't. He couldn't turn back time and correct his mistake, but he could make up for it in the present. He would treat Lauralette the way she deserved to be treated-like one of them.

"Thank you." the blonde revolutionary heard a whisper from the cot, and started. He hadn't realized that the girl had been awake. He also hadn't realized that he was once again thinking aloud.

"What were you sorry for?" were the first words out of his mouth, and he cursed himself. For all his knowledge of speaking, and he couldn't even tell her that he was glad she was awake?

"Everything. For lying to you about who I was, for telling you I hated you, for running away, for everything." Lauralette responded, her voice still weak.

"Are you still hurting? Would you like me to fetch Joly and tell him that you are awake?" Enjolras asked, getting up from his seat.

"No, I'm fine. Joly's done enough for me already." she said, smiling. Enjolras wondered, silently this time, how she could smile so brilliantly after being through so much.

"At least let Courfeyrac and the other's see you. Jehan and Gavroche are so scared that they're crying."

"Let them in, but stay." Lauralette said, closing her eyes for a moment. Enjolras nodded although she couldn't see him, and opened the door to the main room.

"Jehan, Gavroche, Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Grantaire? She's awake." he said quietly, before he was shoved aside by a small boy and a tearful poet.

"Lauralette, you're alright!" Gavroche said, before launching himself at the girl.

"Not yet, mon petit, but soon. I'll get better, for you." the blonde girl responded, hugging the child closely. "Joly will help me as well, so I'm sure to make a full recovery." Although she smiled brightly while saying this, Enjolras could see the fear and doubt behind Lauralette's eyes. She wasn't sure in what she was saying and that worried him. Was the girl afraid that she would die? Well of course, he chided himself. No-one _wanted _to die, and Lauralette was so young. She had barely lived. This thought angered Enjolras, but he decided to focus on the scene in front of him in order to calm his nerves.

Jehan sat reading poems to Gavroche, Courfeyrac, and Lauralette, while the others had already left. Lauralette and Gavroche where beginning to drift off to sleep, while Courfeyrac watched them with a smile on his face. It reminded him of a family scene, a mother and her child falling asleep in each other's arms while the father looked on. It was...irritating, to watch, despite the fact that Lauralette seemed content. In fact, that may have added to Enjolras' annoyance at the picture. All he wanted to do was leave the room, but he had promised Lauralette that he would stay. How would she react if he was gone when she awoke? No, he would stay, no matter how much the scene annoyed him, and how much he didn't understand why.


End file.
